The Reading / Listening - Level 4

The store IKEA has banned old people from dating in one of its shops in China. It decided to stop what it called 'illegal date clubs'. Hundreds of lonely elderly people went to IKEA's cafeteria in search of love. Many of them did not buy anything. Managers said the old people sat down for too long, spoke loudly, spat on the floor and had arguments. They said: "From today, the restaurant will only be for people who purchase their food first."

The elderly people are angry. They say they can't go to McDonald's because they feel like aliens there. They say they are, "surrounded by youngsters". A regular visitor said: "Few people know just how lonely old people are….I feel quite good when I come here. I talk with friends, but some elderly do meet people who become lovers." Normal customers have little sympathy. They complain that there is nowhere to sit because of the old people.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 5 or  Level 6

Sources
  • http://news.nationalpost.com/news/world/ikea-losing-patience-with-elderly-chinese-who-assemble-in-store-to-find-love
  • http://news.asiaone.com/news/asia/ikea-eatery-its-no-pay-no-stay
  • http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/ikea-bans-illegal-blind-dating-group-store-cafeteria-in-shanghai-china-a7359271.html


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. banned old people from dating
  2. illegal
  3. in search
  4. Many of them did
  5. the old people sat down for
  6. spoke
  7. spat
  8. for people who purchase
  1. of love
  2. too long
  3. on the floor
  4. in one of its shops
  5. date clubs
  6. their food first
  7. not buy anything
  8. loudly

Paragraph 2

  1. The elderly people
  2. they feel
  3. they are surrounded
  4. a regular
  5. Few people know just how
  6. I feel quite
  7. normal customers have
  8. They complain that there
  1. visitor
  2. by youngsters
  3. lonely old people are
  4. is nowhere to sit
  5. are angry
  6. little sympathy
  7. like aliens
  8. good

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The store IKEA has banned (1) ___________________ dating in one of its shops in China. It decided to stop what it called (2) ___________________. Hundreds of lonely elderly went to IKEA's cafeteria (3) ___________________. Many of them did not buy anything. Managers said the old people sat down (4) ___________________, spoke loudly, spat on the floor and (5) ___________________. They said: "From today, the restaurant will only be for people who purchase (6) ___________________."

The elderly people are angry. They say they (7) ___________________ McDonald's because they (8) ___________________ there. They say they are, "surrounded by youngsters". A (9) ___________________ said: "Few people know just how lonely old people are….I (10) ___________________ when I come here. I talk with friends, but some (11) ___________________ people who become lovers." Normal customers have (12) ___________________. They complain that there is nowhere to sit because of the old people.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

ThestoreIKEAhasbannedoldpeoplefromdatinginoneofitsshopsinChi
na.Itdecidedtostopwhatitcalled'illegaldateclubs'.Hundredsoflonelye
lderlywenttoIKEA'scafeteriainsearchoflove.Manyofthemdidnotbuya
nything.Managerssaidtheoldpeoplesatdownfortoolong,spokeloudly
,spatonthefloorandhadarguments.Theysaid:"Fromtoday,therestau
rantwillonlybeforpeoplewhopurchasetheirfoodfirst."Theelderlypeop
leareangry.Theysaytheycan'tgotoMcDonald'sbecausetheyfeellikeali
ensthere.Theysaytheyare,"surroundedbyyoungsters".Aregularvisit
orsaid:"Fewpeopleknowjusthowlonelyoldpeopleare….Ifeelquitegoo
dwhenIcomehere.Italkwithfriends,butsomeelderlydomeetpeoplew
hobecomelovers."Normalcustomershavelittlesympathy.Theycompl
ainthatthereisnowheretositbecauseoftheoldpeople.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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